Cadillac Championship At Trump's Course Called Out For 'Terrible' Crowd
The PGA Tour is back at Trump National Doral's iconic Blue Monster course for the first time since 2016, and yet, it doesn't seem like there's a ton of excitement in the air.
Before the Cadillac Championship even started on Thursday, fans were informed that Masters champion Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele and several others wouldn't be competing at Trump National Doral. They're most likely getting ready for the Truist Championship, which is scheduled for May 7.
It's unclear if all those withdrawals derailed the hype surrounding the Cadillac Championship. All we can say for certain is the course looks pretty empty this Saturday.
"There are virtually no fans at the Cadillac Championship at Doral. Is this a Trump boycott? Tickets too high? Who sets the prices? Single day ticket is $88. Tickets too high next weeks Truist at Quail Hollow are $84. Not much different," one fan said.
"The scheduling on this is terrible. F1 is this weekend in Miami, which has all sorts of big ancillary events and creates tons of traffic," a second fan wrote. "This is also the first week of summer temperatures we've started to have so it's hot. Kentucky Derby this weekend is also big at the race tracks in South FL. Just a really bad spot on the schedule."
"The fact that nobody at the PGAT office expected this with an F1 race two miles up the road AND on Kentucky Derby weekend just shows that nobody at the PGAT office knows how to schedule at all," another fan said.
"The Cadillac Championship feels flat, from the atmosphere, energy and crowd size. The golf course set also appears uninspiring. It does not feel like a signature event at all," a social media user added.
Cadillac Championship announces new security measures.
Earlier this Saturday, the PGA Tour revealed fans will be subjected to TSA-style screening for the final two rounds of the Cadillac Championship.
"Travel times to access the course and Trump National Doral property could significantly increase, so ticketed attendees are strongly encouraged to arrive to the course earlier than planned. Enhanced security screenings will be conducted prior to entry by the Secret Service Uniformed Division," the press release stated.
"Upon entering Trump National Doral, spectators will be subjected to TSA-style screening at the Main Entry, Downtown Doral Entry, and in select areas on course. Attendees are encouraged to minimize personal items and review the list of prohibited items prior to arrival. Due to the U.S. Secret Service protectee, there may be additional restricted or prohibited items for the weekend."
Is it possible those enhanced security measures impacted the turnout on Saturday? Maybe, but that seems unlikely.
The real issue for the PGA Tour is that Formula 1 has its Miami Grand Prix this Sunday. That race is going to undoubtedly soak up the spotlight this weekend.
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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 12:22 PM.